Collapsible decoy



Oct. 7, 1969 'r. M. MATTSON COLLAPSIBLE DECOY Filed Aug. 13, 1968 INVENIOR. 77/500025/14. M4rr5a v ATTOEA/EHS United States Patent Ofitice 3,470,645 COLLAPSIBLE DECOY Theodore M. Mattson, 153 4th St. SW., Grafton, N. Dak. 58237 Filed Aug. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 752,360 Int. Cl. A01m 31/06 US. Cl. 43-3 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decoy has a collapsible frame including a padded elongate body element, a padded neck element fixed at an angle to one end of the body element, and a pair of transverse frame elements pivotally secured to the body element. A weighted flexible cover simulating a fowl body is releasably extended over the padded portions and the transverse elements of the frame. The cover is re sponsive to air movement through an elongated opening therein to simulate body movements of a fowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Although many kinds of goose and duck type decoys are available, many of these available decoys are of cumbersome construction and not only present a storage problem to a user, but also because of their cumbersome construction, these conventional decoys are diflicult to carry or otherwise transport. In this regard, some of the commercially available decoys are of the buoyant or floating type and include anchor cables or chains which may easily become entangled. Other of the decoys while simulating a fowl, such as a duck or a goose, cannot be collapsed so that a user may carry only a few such decoys at a time.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a collapsible type decoy which may be readily collapsed from an extended position by merely manipulating a pair of frame elements whereby the decoy may be collapsed to a structure of relatively small compass thereby permitting efiicient storage and easy transport of a plurality of such decoys.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel, collapsible decoy which simulates a duck or goose including a frame which may be readily inserted into the ground, and a flexible cover which simulates the body of a fowl when the decoy is in the extended position, the flexible cover presenting a forward opening so that the cover responds to air movement to simulate body movement of a fowl.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the collapsible decoy in the extended position and inserted in the ground to illustrate the manner of use thereof,

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the collapsible frame in the extended position in full line configuration and illustrating the cover in dotted line configuration, and

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the frame similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, but illustrating the frame only in the collapsed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of the novel collapsible decoy device, designated generally by the reference numeral 10 is there shown. The decoy device 10 includes a frame 11, which as shown, while being of generally elongate construction, has a relatively small width and thickness dimension. The frame 11 includes an elongate substantially straight body frame element 12 of substantially uniform width and thickness and having a pointed or bevelled lower end portion 13. This body frame element 12 is preferably formed of wood and has a pair of transverse frame elements 14 pivotally connected thereto by pivots 15. It will be noted that these transverse frame elements are of substantially straight configuration and are of substantially uniform width. It will also be noted that the lowermost transverse frame element has a length dimension slightly less than the upper transverse frame element.

It will further be noted that each transvere frame element 14 is pivotally connected adjacent its mid portion to the body frame element 12 intermediate its ends to permit swinging of the transverse elements between an extended position, as best seen in FIG. 2, and a collapsed position, as best seen in FIG. 3. When these transverse frame elements 14 are in the extended position, the transverse frame elements extend at substantially right angles or normal to the body frame element. However, when the transverse frame elements are in the collapsed position, they are disposed in substantially parallel relation with respect to the body frame element 12.

It is also pointed out that the pivot 15 for each transverse frame element, while permitting pivotal movement of the associated transverse frame element also serves to retain the transverse frame element in a collapsed or extended position and requires forceable movement of the transverse frame element. It will further be noted that the transverse frame elements 14 are spaced apart a suflicient distance to allow them to be disposed in aligned relation when collapsed, as best seen in FIG. 3.

The frame 11 also includes an elongate substantially straight neck frame element 16 which is secured at its lower end portion to the upper end portion of the body frame element 12. It will be noted that the lower end portion of the neck frame element and the upper end portion of the body frame element are suitably bevelled or mitered to form a flush fit thereat. Suitable securing means, such as screws, nails or the like may be used to interconnect the neck frame element with the body frame element.

A head element 17 which simulates the head of a goose or duck is secured to the neck frame element by a screw 18. It will be noted that this head element 17 projects at substantially right angles to the neck frame element and has paint or other colored indicia applied thereto to simulate the head of the fowl. It is also pointed out that the head element 17, neck frame element 16, and transverse frame elements 14 are also preferably formed of wood. Although in the embodiment shown, the neck frame element 16 is rigidly attached to the body frame element 12, this neck frame element may be detachably secured thereto by using suitable detachable securing means, such as screws, or nut and bolt assemblies.

In the embodiment shown, a padded element 19 is applied to the neck frame elements 16. This padded element may be fabric or any suitable padding material and may be of generally flat sheet configuration and applied to the neck by glue or the like. It will be noted that when applied to the neck, the padded element is of sleeve configuration. A body padding element 20 is also provided and is formed from a relatively thick sheet of padding material so that while this padding element is flexible, it is also dimensionally stable and will hold its shape unless force is applied thereto. This padding element 20 is of inverted channel-shaped configuration and is applied to the upper longitudinal surface of the body frame element 12 by any suitable securing means such as nails, screws, glue or the like. It will be noted that this body padding element 20 has a length which extends and covers a major portion of the length of the body frame element 12. This body padding element 20 has a width dimension slightly less than the width dimension of the transverse frame element 14.

A flexible cover 21 formed of a suitable fabric or cloth is also provided and is positioned in embracing relation with respect to the neck frame element and associated padding element and is secured thereto by suitable releasable fastening elements 22. This flexible cover extends over the body padding element and over the transverse frame elements 14 when the latter are in the extended position so that the cover simulates the body of a fowl. The free edges of the flexible cover have suitable weights such as the chain elements 24 sewn into a seam which is formed along these free edges. With this arrangement, the weighted elements tend to hang downwardly by action of gravity so that substantially the entire frame 11 is embraced by the cover but leaving a longitudinal opening 23 in the forward and lower portion of the cover.

In use, a single user may carry several of the decoys while in the collapsed position since these decoys are of relatively small compass in the collapsed position and since each is of lightweight construction. The decoys when in the collapsed position will have the transverse frame elements folded in aligned relation and parallel to the body frame element. The flexible cover may be wound tightly around the body frame element so that each collapsed decoy device will be of relatively small compass and of relatively lightweight. The user may carry several such collapsed decoy devices with relative ease to the location of the hunting blind.

In setting up the decoy devices, it is merely necessary to pivot the transverse frame elements 14 from their collapsed position to their extended transverse position wherein the transverse frame elements are disposed substantially perpendicular or normal to the body frame element. The lower end portion of the body frame element of each decoy device will be inserted in the ground so that the body frame element 12 is oriented in an oblique or inclined relation with respect to the ground surface. The flexible cover 21 will have been unwound and will hang downwardly because of the chain elements 24, but the cover will present a forwardly facing longitudinal opening 23 therein. Any wind or air movement through the longitudinal opening will produce a riflling effect of the flexible cover so that body movement of the fowl will be simulated.

When it is desirable to collapse the decoy devices, it is merely necessary to again pivot the transverse frame element 14 into their aligned parallel relation with respect to the body frame element and thereafter wrap the flexible cover around the body frame element. The decoy devices may be readily stored and removed from storage without the problem of tangling parts.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel decoy device which is arranged and constructed so that it may be readily extended and inserted into the ground for use, and may be readily collapsed for storage or transport.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel collapsible device which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction, but one which functions in a more eflicient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and pro portions of the various parts Without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible fowl decoy device comprising a collapsible frame including an elongate rigid body frame element having one end thereof pointed for insertioninto the ground to orient said body frame element in an inclined position with respect to the surface of the ground,

a pair of elongate transverse frame elements,

means pivotally connecting each of said transverse frame elements adjacent their respective mid portions to said body frame element intermediate the ends thereof, said transverse frame elements being pivotal between an extended position wherein said traverse frame elements extend transversely of the body frame element and at substantially right angles thereto, and a collapsed position wherein said transverse frame elements are disposed in parallel relation to said body frame element and in substantial alignment with each other,

an elongate neck frame element having one end portion aflixed to the upper end portion of said body frame element projecting angularly upwardly therefrom,

a rigid head element simulating the head of a fowl and connected to the upper end portion of said neck frame element,

a flexible cover detachably secured to said neck frame element and being of a size to embrace and cover the major portion of said collapsible frame when the latter is in an extended position, said cover simulating the body of a fowl.

2. The decoy device as defined in claim 1 and weight elements secured to the edge portions of said flexible cover to cause the edges thereof to hang downwardly around the transverse frame elements so that said cover presents a forwardly facing opening and the cover responds to air movement through the opening to thereby simulate body movement of a fowl.

3. The collapsible fowl decoy device as defined, in claim 1 wherein said body frame element is of substantially uniform width.

4. The decoy device as defined in claim 1 and an elongate generally channel shaped flexible padding element secured to said body frame element adjacent one surface thereof and having a width dimension substantially greater than said body element and having a length dimension slightly shorter than said body frame element.

5. The decoy device as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said transverse frame elements has a length dimension slightly less than the length dimension of the other of said transverse elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 529,463 11/ 1894 Roberts 433 2,478,585 8/ 1949 Kouba 433 2,812,608 11/1957 Jones 433 3,245,168 4/1966 Pool 433 WARNER H. CAMP, Primary Examiner 

